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Who to start · 2025-26

Matty Beniers vs Mikko Rantanen

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mikko Rantanen projects to 2.21 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matty Beniers's 1.73.

Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 games.

This week Beniers has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Rantanen has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Beniers for 3.8 ESPN points to Rantanen's 1.6.

Mikko Rantanen has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Beniers's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.38, Blocked shots 69, Faceoffs won 515.

Rantanen's biggest edges: Sequence xG 54.3%, Expected goals 54.4%, Penalty minutes 93.

Head to head on the dot, Beniers leads Rantanen 6–5.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Matty Beniers

1.73

fantasy points per game

Mikko Rantanen

2.21

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Mikko Rantanen has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromBeniersRantanen
Goals (+2)0.580.64
Assists (+1)0.410.81
Power-play points (+0.5)0.060.25
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.180.21
Hits (+0.1)0.050.08
Blocks (+0.5)0.460.22

Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your custom weights are saved in this browser only.

Head-to-head: Beniers vs Rantanen

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

BeniersRantanen
7Team record in 20 meetings13
6Points in those games21

Beniers 3G 3A, 34 SOG · Rantanen 12G 9A, 60 SOG

6Faceoffs against each other5

Beniers's offensive zone 2–1 · neutral 0–1 · Beniers's defensive zone 4–3 (2022-23 to 2025-26)

0Hits on each other4
2Shots blocked by the other0

Beniers blocked 2 of Rantanen's shots; Rantanen blocked 0 of Beniers's.

1Penalties drawn off the other1

On the ice against each other (Beniers's side)

10:53 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Beniers's side

Shot attempts
11–8
57.9%
Expected goals
0.7–0.7
50.5%
Goals
1–0

Games against each other

Games between Matty Beniers and Mikko Rantanen
DateScoreBeniersRantanen
2025-11-26SEA 2–3 DAL0G 0A 2S0G 0A 2S
2025-11-09SEA 1–2 DAL0G 0A 1S0G 0A 6S
2025-03-31SEA 1–3 DAL0G 0A 3S0G 0A 1S
2025-03-29SEA 1–5 DAL0G 0A 1S1G 2A 4S
2024-12-22SEA 2–5 COL0G 1A 2S0G 2A 1S
2024-11-05SEA 3–6 COL1G 1A 2S2G 0A 3S
2024-10-22SEA 2–3 COL0G 0A 3S0G 0A 3S
2023-11-13SEA 1–5 COL0G 0A 1S1G 1A 2S
2023-11-09SEA 4–3 COL1G 0A 2S0G 1A 2S
2023-10-17SEA 1–4 COL0G 0A 2S1G 0A 1S
2023-04-30 · POSEA 2–1 COL0G 0A 3S1G 0A 3S
2023-04-28 · POSEA 1–4 COL0G 0A 1S1G 1A 6S

Latest 12 of 20 meetings.

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

BeniersRantanen

Fantasy box score

Special teams & discipline

This week's schedule

Sep 28 to Oct 4. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections use ESPN default points for the games left.

Matty Beniers

3games (2 left)

3.8proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 @ CGY
    Opp allows 2nd-most FP to CLikely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ EDM1.9 pts
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)
  • Sun, Oct 4 vs CGYB2B1.9 pts
    Opp allows 2nd-most FP to CLikely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)

Mikko Rantanen

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Fri, Oct 2 vs STL
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B1.6 pts
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)

FAQ

Should I start Matty Beniers or Mikko Rantanen in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mikko Rantanen projects to 2.21 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matty Beniers's 1.73. Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
Who is better, Matty Beniers or Mikko Rantanen?
On 2025-26 numbers, Mikko Rantanen leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Beniers and Rantanen done against each other?
In 20 games against each other in our data, Beniers's team went 7–13. Beniers had 6 points (3 goals) and Rantanen had 21 (12 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Beniers or Rantanen?
Against each other, Beniers has won 6 and Rantanen 5 of their 11 head-to-head draws.

2025-26 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →